In message , at
12:06:55 on Tue, 20 Mar 2007, Martin Underwood
remarked:
I hadn't realised that the main-line TOCs (as opposed to London Underground)
no longer used Old Dalby, as the report implies by the talk of saving the
line from closure by the decision to test LU trains there. I'd assumed that
Old Dalby would still be used for testing main line trains - and now,
additionally, LU trains.

The news of the closure travelled as far as me, but perhaps I was
attuned to it as the test line is only a couple of miles from where I
live and the former alignment north of the test track passes within a
few hundred yards of where I live (it's now variously a nature trail and
a road bridge over the Trent)

There was some criticism at the time that no-one seemed to want to take
a more long term view of preserving the test track for future use.

If main-line trains are no longer tested there, then where are they
tested?

Is there any significant new build that needs testing at the moment? One
older train was recently reported to have been sent to Czech Republic
for testing.

I have to say the TV news item yesterday did confuse me, as they called
the line "Asfordby" and not "Old Dalby". So for a moment there I though
they'd opened up a new test track ignoring the possibility of re-opening
Old Dalby.
--
Roland Perry